Hiring your own linguist may seem enticing since, mainly, it is cheaper to do so. In reality, agency fees cover a lot of the work that you would have to put in yourself. Between locating and vetting qualified linguists, including those rare language finds, to project management, editing, proofreading, and quality assurance, the cost of time spent will outweigh any agency fees.
The main benefits of using a language agency:
– Would you rather spend hours locating a Soninke or Fulah interpreter than outsource the work to a professional?
– What will you do if your only linguist cancels his/her appearance for your depo hours before it’s scheduled?
– How will you handle a large translation project if the translator you hired missed the deadline or turned out to be unqualified for the work?
Language agencies spend a lot of time and resources building their database so when the unexpected happens they can handle it quickly and painlessly. Swapping your interpreter on a minute’s notice or hiring an additional translator is a breeze for a skilled and reliable agency.
Did you know that multiple steps such as establishing common glossaries, formatting templates, and other details are all arranged even before the translators start a project?
Sending your translation or transcription request to a qualified linguist is just the beginning of the workflow; add in project coordination between multiple linguists, editing, proofreading, and quality control.
As the complexity of your needs increases, the more benefit you will reap from finding the right agency. If you have interpreting needs in a variety of languages, including rare languages or large volume translation projects or those with multiple languages involved, you will benefit from the experienced coordination an agency can provide, along with the necessary proofreading/QA to ensure a high minimum standard.
Some linguists provide multiple types of services, most don’t. Meaning, your excellent interpreter may not make the best translator and your outstanding translator may not work on transcriptions. Agencies match the right teams of linguists and coordinate between them to provide you with exactly what you need, an excellent outcome.
If you aren’t sure what your options are or whether a certain agency will meet your requirements, contact some agencies and talk to their representative. There are no consultation fees and a knowledgeable coordinator will be able to discuss the company’s capabilities as they relate to your needs.
So, don’t delay, give Legal Interpreters LLC a call! We’ll be happy to discuss if we’re the right agency for you.
